summer give-away worth $25

sticky post

This summer I'm celebrating the beauty people and nature can create.

Peggy, from Lucky Girl Trading Co is a wonderful fellow blogger who creates amazing jewelry in glass.

Her etsy shop is a place full of colors and shapes to enjoy.
I can spend hours looking through the great amount of treasures and on my wishlist is a membership to her Pendant of the Month Club.
Each piece of her glass art is unique and handcrafted.

Peggy worked so hard, that she needed a thumb joint replacement.
She's now recovering from surgery, but already she's making plans for new combinations of colours and items.

I like her shop not only because of the glass, but also because she offers books, glass items for in your home, kumihimo, temari, sterling silver pendants and a large variety of matching sterling silver chains. For those who are creative themselves she has lovely supplies.

You know I don't like give-aways for USA only, and I've been disappointed a few times after finding something nice in an etsy shop and discovering is wasn't send worldwide.

Peggy sends worldwide, the shippingcosts won't kill the joy of buying something and she accepts all sorts of payment, including Paypal, Money Order and Check.

So with a quiet, trusting heart I accepted her offer to organize a give-away at my site for a gift certificate of $25, good on anything at Lucky Girl Trading on Etsy.

Isn't that a very generous gift?
I think it is.
Thank you very, very much Peggy for your generous gift!

Because I need to know who wants to enter the random draw for this great gift certificate I have to ask you to comment on this post.

Only comments that follow the rules below will be entered in the random draw at the beginning of august.

1. Go over to Lucky Girl Trading Co and look around to find your favorite item. Come back here and tell me which item it is and why.
   Don't forget to enter contact information, otherwise I won't be able to contact you when you have won.
   
   When you have done so, and only after that, you can chose from these:
   
   
2. You can enter the give-away a second time when you twitter about the give-away, mentioning this site and Lucky Girl Trading Co at http://luckygirltrading.etsy.com. After your tweet, come back here and let me know your twitter ID, so I can see your tweet.
3. You'll get a double entry in the draw when you blog about the give-away.
   Don't forget to come here and post the url.
   
4. You'll get a double entry when you have the graphic at the top of your sidebar, linked to this post.
   Again, don't forget to let me know.
   

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.laaneworld.com/2009/07/summer-give-away-worth-25.html"><br/><br/><img border="0" width="125" alt="Laane on the World" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Laane/laanesumgiveaway9.gif" height="125" /></a>

When July is over I'll give all comments a number and those with two entries to the draw ofcourse two numbers.
I'm sure the girls or my autistic son will watch this as a hawk.

I'll draw a random number and contact the winner.

Please leave a message at your blog or mail me when you're on vacation.
In that case I'll wait until you're back and add three days for you to contact me back.
Others have three days to contact me.
In case the winner doesn't contact me within three days, I'll draw a new number.

Peggy can also be visited at her Lucky Girl Trading blog.
I hope you'll also enjoy her art as much as I do and allow her to make every day your lucky day.

Computer, Nasa and lightning

july 17 2009

My computer is experiencing troubles again.
When I'm happy writing, it suddenly closes down.

Maybe it's that fan they put in it last time. I don't know.

I'm trying to keep up a bit with a laptop that's sooooo slow, I can better deliver the mails I want to send myself. And it doesn't have sound.

I'll try to keep up a bit with this thing, but in the back of my mind I regret not having married one of the huge computerproducers. I'm sure someone like Billl Gates wouldn't have left me here with below zero equipment at the time of a nasa mission.


I love to watch it.
It's such a real time miracle that I can watch them docking and working in the spacestation at the time that they fly right above me.

One of the boys saw the shuttle pass above yesterday.

When we took a walk later it was all clouded. Couldn't see the moon which was moving anti clockwise this week. Each evening it was more to the left. So strange!

Last night we got the bad weather the weatherservice warned us for.

Half-way during the night the clouds gathered right above our heads, with lots of horizontal lightning and huge amounts of rain.
The girls sleep under the tilted window, so we went downstairs.

Early morning it started again.
I noticed it, and went back to sleep, but a huge lightning struck somewhere near. The bed was shaking.
So we were down again.

All in all we can say we entered the vacation with thunder and lightning.
Ugh!

start of vacation

july 16 2009

The girls both got a good report.
They're among the best of their group.

What a different experience than I had with the boys.

Yesterday the girls went with school to the beach.
They arrived late, because the driver didn't know the way. --???

Then it turned out they had to be somewhere else because they first had to walk through the dunes.

By 13.00 hours they arrived at the beach.
3 hours later it was time to go home.

We expected the school to buy them frites or something, because they were not allowed to take money with them.
Well, they came home at 20.00 craving for food.

I watched the entrance to the beach a couple of times with the webcam and could surprise them with a few photos with them on it. LOL!

So now it's vacation.
I've never started it as tired as I am now.
I'm completely exhausted, can cry all day.

We're still waiting for the commission to decide on daycare for my autistic son.
It's only for two days.

My computer is acting weird, so in case you won't see me online somewhere, know that I'm annoyed with the fact that the thing gave up.

I hope your vacation will be better.

Here all will be the same boring and depressing routine as always, except the fact that there are more people around.

Anyone offering a free vacation? LOL!

Selling an old keyboard to an autistic boy

july 14 2009

I'm rather angry.

The keyboard of my autistic son gave up yesterday.
That's no wonder, because it's used a lot.

Because I couldn't leave the house, one of my daughters offered to accompany him to the computershop top buy a new one.

When he came home it turned out they gave him a showmodel.
The main part of the letters were gone, the contact only worked on the front of the computer, not on the back. The thing was dirty too.

So they sold a kid which clearly lacks social skills a 29th hand keyboard!!!


This morning his father called the shop and it turned out they had enough new keyboards in store.

So that makes me even more angry!!

Maybe we should have some spare ones here at home....

Monday Crazy Questions

July 13 2009

1. Do you have a tattoo...??
If so What and where is it??
If not do you have a secret desire to have one?

No,I don't have a tattoo.
But I want one.
At the left wrist I have a round scar. Not large, just a small one.
I want to have a tattood bracelet with the scar as a center.
Haven't found something I absolutely love yet.

I want a tattoo, because I can be identified more easy when something happens.

2. You have been offered a free botox treatment...where do you have them put it?

I haven't been offered a botox treatment. And I certainly won't have any botox in my body.
Instead lift my eyelids. Please...

3. Do you have a good luck charm? what is it?
Do you think it works?

No, I don't have a lucky charm.
But I have favorite earrings. Does that count?

4. When was the last time that you said something to someone that you REALLY wished you hadn't said?

5. The bath water is running, the phone is ringing, the dog is barking and there is someone at the door.....what do you do?

Wonder why the dog is barking, because we don't have a dog. LOL!
I just let the bath run and step in it.
When someone really needs me, he or she will try again later.

6. Your best friend from high school just popped in from out of town.
Do you offer them a place to stay or suggest a hotel?

He or she will have a place to stay already.
But boy, will I be happy to see my friend!!!

7. Have you ever seen a ghost?

Yep, every day when I look into the mirror. Ugh!

Serious: sometimes things happen here that are at least strange.
I have seen a shadow, but never a complete ghost.

8. Someone is driving in front of you rather erratically and slowing you way down...now you see that they are talking on a cell phone and checking themselves out in the mirror. The other lane is blocked off so you can not go around them. What do you do??

Wake up, because we don't have a car.

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Finally a new gate

july 12 2009



Someone entered our garden during the night and stabbed a screwdriver or something like that in the tyres of the bicycles.
We found them fridaymorning.

It was lucky the girls didn't need to go to school on friday.
Their father had to walk to the railwaystation.

On saturday he finally bought a new gate.

Ours was messed with in spring, when one of the backneighbours drove a vehicle though the path between the gardens and caught the grip, tore down some wood, leaving us with the damage.
The vehicle shouldn't have been there in the first place.

The guy promised to buy a new gate, but ofcourse he never did.

Thanks to the stabber of the bycicles we now have a new gate.

It was hung and secured today.

I'm quite happy with it, even though I'm still asking myself why it took so many months before we got a new one. Men!!

Huge fire

july 11 2009

This afternoon I wasn't on twitter and ofcourse something happened.

Something happened at the industrial site, at a chemical factory.
First it was an inside fire, but soon dark clouds could be seen from far.
I could see them from my bedroom window.

Boy2, the one who wants to become a photographer, told me he would try to take some photos and went.

Soon after he mailed me photos.
I wrote an accompanying text and send it to the national and regional TV.
The national TV send their own crew when it became clear the fire was only growing, the regional took one of him between the professional ones, before they got their own crew here.

Go here, scroll down and click the photo. In IE you can see little pictures at the bottom, go to nr 9. That's his.

We saw the level of alert rising, and our worries about the toxic effects too.

We were lucky the wind was blowing from us, and not towards us.

We all got an SMS alarm to close doors and windows, people who were sitting at the boulevard at the riverside were told to leave, and even the traffic on the river was put to a halt.
Firefighters from a lot of places came to help our own firefighters and -boat.
The owner of the factory went up in a helicopter to investigate the factory.
They flew just above my son's head when he was hunting for a good place to make a photo.

The alarm went to a stage that the major took over orders and coordinating, and a special emergency meeting was held.

Suddenly it was told there was no danger for the health of people.
Hmmm.... we smelled chloric acid and some other strange smells.

It took them 8 hours before they said they controlled the fire. That means they're still busy.

One man was seriously injured and had surgery. He was in the factory with a colleague when the fire started.

Well, I'm grateful that we had no more injuries.

Wedding Bell Blues

July 11 2009

1. If you have been or are married, tell us about your wedding. If you are not, tell us how would you want it to be.

Well... I didn't like my dress, I didn't like the hat, I didn't like my hair.
But my parents paid for it....
And because of that they also decided who were at the dinner.

When we went for photo's the flowershop we should have gone to was closed, so we had to stay in the rain. At a very nice spot in nature. So I didn't really mind.

When we arrived at the restaurant, the weddingcake was eaten by people who came in and ordered cake.
They mistook them for the weddingparty.

No wonder our marriage was a complete disaster. Except for the time I was pregnant and had little kids.

2. What age would you encourage your children to get married?

There's no age attached to that.

But there should be more that wanting to leave the house and start a family.

3. Who got married at the last wedding that you attended?

A friend who was at the delivery of one of the babies. She was a student midwife then.

It was a wedding with all women and men in black. Like a funeral.
I think they thought that to be of high standing or so. (No, she wasn't pregnant)

She didn't tell me, so we came there dressed colourful and festive.
I made even beautiful white with pink dresses for the girls. They were about 3 or 4 at the time.

4. Do you enjoy weddings and receptions?

I alsways enjoy celebrations.
But as I hardly know any other people, I almost never attend something like that.

5. Have you cried at a wedding?

Maybe my own.

6. Would you prefer a lavish event or a intimate ceremony?

It depends when I marry again and with whom.
To attent I love a huge wedding where there's lots to see.

7. Have you ever been in some one’s wedding party? If yes, do tell.

Yes. A long time ago.
It was an intimate wedding.

8. Does a wedding make you happy and sentimental or grouchy and skeptical?

When I see the fuzz people make about a wedding at TV, I wonder if they're aware there's something happening after the ceremony too. There's a whole life coming and I think it's silly to have a mortgage on the house and have a huge posh wedding.
They spend all their money to show off.

A wedding is about celebrating love, and it's not the money and the glamour that's central.
Often I see that people have lost all control.
They're nervous a year before and by the time the wedding takes place a complete wreck.
It's all about the guests.
In my eyes it should be about the couple.

9. Why do you think our divorce rate is so high?

I see couple who talk about nothing else than the wedding. When it's over they realize the person at the other side of the breakfast table is not the partner they imagined.

The way americans live also adds to the failure of marriages.
When a family doesn't spend their meals at their own home they miss important aspects of social life.
The best conversations are in the kitchen, during the preparation of meals and during meals and the washing up.
I also wonder whether the intense urge to be better than others makes people less content with what they have.
To have a good marriage you have to live in the present, be aware of the needs of your partner, be willing to invest time and energy and love, and be able to be happy with what you have

Want to take part too?
Click the logo.




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no glucose teststrips anymore

july 10 2009

Anyone who knows something about my life can understand that dealing with diabetes is an additional joke of life.
I just can't understand there are people who are living a life without complications. They should take some of mine.

Today I heard that the insurance won't pay anymore for the glucose teststrips I'm using. OneTouch® Ultra® Teststrips.

It's another blow in the face.

Our part to find the causes of autism

july 9 2009

Today we got a call from a very nice lady.

She informed us about the start of our contribution to research to discover the causes of autism.
Part of it involves genetic research and part covers a lot of other theories and questions.
I was even able to add one myself.

She explained we will get a load of forms to fill in.
(Well, world, I only do it for you, because I hate filling forms very, very bad.)

Each child has to fill in his or her own part, and I have to answer questions about their pregnancies, childhoods and a lot more.
Teachers will be involved too.

Ofcourse I have to tackle all that for myself too.

After that we'll be invited for a morning at the hospital, where blood will be drawn, and the kids have to do some computertasks.

Taking part in this research is something we're all looking forward to.

A bracelet from Kat

july 9 2009

We've returned to the grey humid days of summer.
I'm surprised no one has come up with the concept of Dutch Summer Depression, because it sure deserves recognition with this weather.

Today I should have been on my way to travel to England. To realize my dream that I'm having for 40 years now.
But the day will pass without me enjoying a holiday after 23 years.

I enjoy however something else.
A while ago Kat had a contest on her site and I won the lovely bracelet!!

Since then the girls and I enjoyed it very much.
One of the girls wears it with her orange flowers on white blouse, the other one with her green T-shirt and blouses and I just wear it when I have the chance. LOL!

It's so nice to have won this lovely handmade bracelet.
To know that someone made it with love and care makes it special.
Just a look at it and one is reminded there are good people in this world.

Thanks again a lot Kat, and enjoy your vacation!!

a puberty night.

july 8 2009

Yesterday evening 2 of the boys didn't want to go to sleep.
So tell me, what can I do when there's nothing to promise them, nothing to take away from them?
Nothing that will not wake the whole neighbourhood?

This time the ADHD one was the problem.

When it was 4.30 hours I was so angry, and probably looking soo pale, that he finally gave in and went to bed.

Ofcourse I couldn't sleep anymore, being troubled with all sorts of feelings. One of them of being a bad mother.
I know puberty has those moments.
Well, after 4 autistic boys going through puberty I'm completely fed up with it.

It was 5.45 when I fell asleep (I heard a new radioprogram, the first interview and didn't hear the 5.45 newsitems.)
At 7 something woke me up. I don't even know what.

After sending a couple of people to the dentist, I dropped myself on the bed again and got some hours of sleep.

Woooo, the kids were so kind today.....

But I'll contact the psychiatrist of my ADHD boy, so he will finally re-diagnose him so he gets help.
He's got so many autistic features and he's dealing with so many problem autistic kids have to deal with too, that I know the outcome of the diagnosis.

Fertiliser, moving kids and waiting

july 7 2009



The tropical weather has finally changed into normal Dutch summerweather.
In the house we need a few degrees less and all is well.

It will be a problem to get it down though.
Someone used fertilizer on his back garden. Pig dung.
I expect it's done by the new neightbours. They're completely clueless how to behave in a normal house.

Ofcourse I know I have to be grateful their constant bickering and arguing made the father of the kids feel the urge to leave this house too, but I'm not happy with the stinking cloud above our gardens.

In times like these I have breathing problems. Asthma and chronic bronchitis are life compagnions, and I can deal with them reasonably well as long as the air I'm breathing is odourless.
The fact that I had to get the laundry in and close the doors and windows, so the temperature in the house stays far too high, that drives me nuts.

Reporting the stinking disruption of these pre-vacation days can only be done by phone.
As I'm trying to live a life with as little use of these mini-dictators as possible my understanding for people with hearing deficiencies has grown.
Society seems to be molded around phone and car, but as long as the law doesn't order me to have one of each, I'll do without.
So I protested against the lack of use of email, asked if my complaint could be send to the right department and even requested not to report the findings of the sniffing in person, because it would upset my autistic boy.

My oldest (Asperger) has been chosen as the new inhabitant of a house where young autistic people get support during 4 days a week. It's a step between the trainingshouse and living on his own.
It's what he wanted, so I'm happy for him.

I feel sorry I didn't visit him very much at the trainingshouse. The new location is far easier to reach, so who knows.

In two weeks my second son will have a talk at the location where he wants to live. He was rejected because he doesn't have an IQ below 70. His social worker wants to have a go to try them to lift that requirement.
He's ready to leave the house.

We still haven't heard from the board that should decide about my autistic boy. He applied for daycare and they need to decide about the money. The daycare has a place open for him.

I still feel lost about not going to england.
I need a vacation so badly!!!!!

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Monday Crazy Questions

July 6 2009

1. Do you have a bucket list?(if you have it posted feel free to post your URL)
If you don't have one, then jot down 5 quick things on a piece of paper that you know you'd want on your list...or imagine some of the things you know you'd put on a Bucket list to be. (potential future list)

• moving to Scotland
• find out where my dad served in the english RAF during WW2. (I know only two places)
• parachute jump
• Write a book about my experiences with the world of autism
• travel the world as a travel reporter
  

2. Do you think you have already fulfilled anything on your bucket list or bucket list to be?

Oh yes.

• wrote a book (and translated a few)
• became an autism advocate
• learned playing the bagpipes
  

3. what are the top 3 things you'd like to do before you leave this world?

• Have my children living at a place where they can be happy
• Find acknowledgment for what I've done to better the world.
• See some of my friends and my soulbrother.
  

4. If it would take a lot of money to fulfill one of your wishes on your bucket list, would you try to find the money or just skip that one?

I really, really, really want to move to Scotland. It's such a deep inner longing.
We don't have money, not even to buy a house, but I will do all what's in my power to realise that dream.

5. Life is just a struggle.

6. The glass isn't half empty it's broken most days, so I drink my water out of a mug then.

7. If you had a chance to be with your MOST favorite entertainer in the whole world before you leave this world, who would that be and how much time would you want to spend with them?

I don't have one favorite.
But right now I would love to travel with Michael Palin to all the beautiful places in the UK.

8. If you were given the chance to go anywhere in the world before the end comes...where would you go and what would you want to see?

I would love to see the Mt. Everest and Tibet, and pay tribute to all the courageous people in the world.
Then I would go to Mali, make music and sing a lot, and then walk into the dessert and die.

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Manic Monday #175

july 6 2009

Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at:

- speaking in public
- handling crisis situations

Name two things you consider yourself to be bad at:

- asking money for work
- going to bed at a normal time

Name one thing not many people know about you:

I would love to play Lucinda Walsh's unknown sister in As The World Turns.

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